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Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory package invests in infrastructure for Indigenous Australians

Date posted: 16 May 2012

A $3.4 billion package to support infrastructure for Indigenous Australians in urban and remote communities - the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory package - has been announced by the Minister for Families, Community Services, and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin.

The package includes:

funding of $43 million, which will provide State Governments with funding to provide essential services in remote communities. This will ensure approximately 38,000 Aboriginal people in 350 remote communities nation-wide receive electricity, water, and sewerage services. This national funding supplements State and Territory government budgets

the combination of funding for the Home ownership on Indigenous land program and the Home ownership program into one scheme, which will allow Indigenous Australians living in urban and regional areas to have access to concessional home loans. The scheme will provide 545 concessional loans over four years

funding of $63 million over four years, for SBS to establish a free-to-air national Indigenous television channel, which will be staffed predominantly by Indigenous people

funding of $11.8 million for Cape York Indigenous leader Noel Pearson's welfare reform trial to be extended for 12 months

funding of $21.2 million to provide people in the Torres Strait access to better infrastructure, including water projects, sewerage, roads, and housing subdivision

funding of $427.4 million over 10 years to place more local Aboriginal people in Indigenous engagement officer positions in the Northern Territory. They will boost the government's presence on the ground in communities

funding of $283.5 million on remote Indigenous housing as part of the NT intervention, removing asbestos from houses and community buildings

funding of $55.7 million until 2015-16 to expand the Home interaction program for parents and youngsters (HIPPY) to 100 sites across Australia.

Source:The Australian and the Minister for Families, Community Services, and Indigenous Affairs